Everything you love about silky and sweet cannoli, but in a fun, easy to make bite-sized form! Made simply with pie crust (store-bought to be even easier), these cannoli bites are easy to customize to your tastes, and always a crowd-pleaser!
This is one of my Dessert recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge sucker for cannoli, and anything remotely close to those flavors!
They’re not particularly difficult to make, but any time I can get very similar flavors and textures, with a fraction of the work, I’m all in.
I’ve made these mini cannoli cups before for a family event, but I used the phyllo cups from the frozen foods department.
And those were delicious, but the cups were a bit too delicate. So I improvised with pie crust as the cup, and it tasted just as delicious, and held up better.
Plus, you can use store-bought pie crust to save time!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
Everyone loves a delicious cannoli, and these little bites are no exception!
- Bite-sized – these little cups are a scrumptious one or two bite treat.
- Customize-able – want different toppings, different add-ins, different flavors, etc… no problem!
- Make-ahead – while I don’t recommend making them completely ahead of time, the components can be made ahead, so all you have to do is put them together.
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Ricotta – this recipe was tested with full fat ricotta cheese, so that’s what we recommend.
- Cream cheese – this adds creaminess and stabilization to the filling. We also recommend using full fat cream cheese (it’s a dessert after all).
- Powdered sugar – this is used in the filling to prevent grittiness, and used to dust the cups before serving.
- Vanilla – we prefer to use real vanilla extract, as opposed to the clear imitation variety.
- Lemon zest – this adds a brightness that cuts through the richness of the filling.
- Lemon juice – just as with the zest, this adds brightness.
- Chocolate chips – since these are small cups, we prefer to use mini chocolate chips.
- Pie crust – store-bought crust works great, but homemade is another good option.
- Egg – the egg is used in an egg wash for the pie crust.
- Sugar – granulated sugar is used to dust the pie crust cups to add crunch and sweetness.
- Cinnamon – ground cinnamon is great for adding warmth and depth of flavor to the cups.
How to make mini cannoli cups:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Drain ricotta. This is essential for preventing a watery filling.
- Make filling. I prefer to use a hand mixer to really combine the cream cheese with the other ingredients.
- Add sugar. For this I recommend using the hand mixer on low to prevent the sugar from flying everywhere.
- Fold in chips. I like to use a rubber spatula for this.
- Cut out pie crust. A round cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, or even the mouth of a drinking glass will work for this.
- Bake cups. This doesn’t take long, just until they’re golden and crisp.
- Fill. You can use a piping bag for this, but I usually just use a small spoon.
- Garnish. Add a few extra chocolate chips, and dust with powdered sugar.
Helpful Tip!
The key to a great cannoli dessert is the filling. You want an ultra creamy filling that’s bright and sweet. Make sure the ricotta is well drained, so you don’t end up with a watery filling.
Variations of this recipe
- Marscapone – in place of the cream cheese, try using an equal amount of marscapone. It’s a bit less tangy, but still ultra creamy and will add stabilization to the ricotta filling.
- Pie crust – I like to use store-bough crust to save some time, but if you’d like to use a homemade pie crust recipe, you definitely can.
- Phyllo shells – if you’d prefer a flakier cup, you could use the frozen phyllo shells from the grocery store. Just follow package directions to crisp them, then fill as directed.
- Toppings – instead of mini chocolate chips (or in addition to), you could try adding some crushed pistachios, dried fruit, or a small splash of your favorite liqueur.
- Chocolate-dipped – for a fun flavor twist, try adding some melted chocolate (we love dark chocolate) to a small bowl, then carefully dip the rim of the cannoli cups into the chocolate. Then fill and serve! You could also sprinkle the chocolate with some crushed pistachios while it’s wet.
FAQ’s
No, I make zero claims of authenticity when it comes to this recipe. This is just my family’s spin on a classic dessert.
It sounds like the ricotta cheese needed to be drained a bit more. If you find that after squeezing it in the cheesecloth it’s still loose, you may want to place it in a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl, and add it to the refrigerator for a few hours and let gravity do the work for you.
Making cannoli cups ahead of time
While I don’t recommend making these cups completely ahead of time, the parts can absolutely be made ahead.
The pie crust cups can be baked and stored at room temperature for a day or two.
The filling can be mixed and stored in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Then just assemble them, garnish, and serve!
Storage
Leftover filling should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Leftover cups should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
I don’t recommend storing the assembled cannoli cups, as the filling will make the pie crust cups soggy.
More Easy Dessert Recipes:
My Favorite Mini Muffin Pan!
This pan is easy to clean, and the baked goods just pop right out of the wells. Plus, it’ll last a LONG time (I’ve owned one for over 10 years), and it’s made in the USA (if that’s something you’re interested in).
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
Filling
- 8 oz ricotta cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar whisked to remove any lumps
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon juice fresh is best
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Cups
- 2 store-bought pie crusts
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Garnish
- additional mini chocolate chips
- additional powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray two 24 cup mini muffin pans with cooking spray and set aside.
Drain ricotta
- Add 8 oz ricotta cheese to a cheesecloth (or a fine mesh sieve), and squeeze out the excess water. For a sieve, gently press down with a rubber spatula to remove the water.
Make filling
- To a mixing bowl, add the drained ricotta, 4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, and 2 tsp lemon juice.
- Use a hand mixer to beat until combined and creamy. Then use a rubber spatula to fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
- Cover and refrigerate.
Make cups
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out 2 store-bought pie crusts. Use a 2 inch round cutter (like a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter – or even the rim of a drinking glass), to cut out circles from the crust.
- Gently press each circle into the muffin pan, forming a cup shape.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the insides of the cups with 1 large egg that's been beaten with a fork.
- Combine 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon and sprinkle over the cups.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan before removing.
Assemble
- Once the pie crusts are cooled, fill each cup with the ricotta filling (by using a piping bag or small spoon).
Garnish and serve
- Add a few extra chocolate chips to each cannoli cup and dust with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- This recipe makes about 48 cannoli cups, which I’ve estimate will serve 24 (with each person getting two cups). However, feel free to divide this recipe up into as many servings as you’d like.
- Homemade pie crust can be used instead of store-bought, if you prefer.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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